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Infection with Toxoplasma gondii is often asymptomatic and, when acquired during pregnancy, may lead to connatal toxoplasmosis in the offspring. The newly introduced Vitros anti-Toxoplasma immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM assays, designed for the Vitros ECiQ immunodiagnostic system, a fully automated system based on chemiluminescence, were evaluated as a screening method for the serological detection of acute and chronic Toxoplasma infections in the sera of 719 pregnant women. Infection with the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii is mostly asymptomatic for immunocompetent individuals (11). The incidence of gestational Toxoplasma infection in European countries ranges from 0.2 to 1.0% (7). Maternal infection during pregnancy may cause placental and fetal infections. Connatal toxoplasmosis is associated with a wide spectrum of clinical symptoms, such as retinochoroiditis, intracerebral calcifications, and hydrocephalus. These symptoms may be present at birth or may develop later in life, leading finally to blindness, psychomotor retardation, and hearing difficulties (13, 21).Austria and France are the only countries that have implemented nationwide obligatory serological screening programs for the detection of gestational Toxoplasma infections. These systems provide systematic serological assessment early in pregnancy and periodic follow-up of pregnant women at risk (7). Serological diagnosis of infection with T. gondii is performed indirectly by enzyme immunoassays, an indirect immunofluorescence test, and, more precisely, by the Sabin-Feldman dye test (18). The dye test is considered the reference test for the detection of Toxoplasma infection (16).Any serological test system has to meet several criteria of adequacy, such as high sensitivity and specificity, easy handling, and reproducible results under routine laboratory conditions. The present study investigated the newly introduced Vitros ECiQ Toxoplasma immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM assays (Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, NJ) as a screening method for the diagnosis of acute and chronic Toxoplasma infections in the sera of pregnant women. The Vitros test results were compared with those of the Sabin-Feldman dye test and the immunosorbent agglutination assay (ISAGA) for the determination of anti-T. gondii-specific IgM (10). Diagnosis of maternal infection status was provided via routine serology by the toxoplasmosis reference laboratory at the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. In addition, the technical precision of both the Vitros Toxoplasma IgG and IgM assays was evaluated by serial specimen measurements. MATERIALS AND METHODSSamples and patients. Serum samples were collected from 719 healthy pregnant women according to the recommendations of the Austrian toxoplasmosis screening program and were submitted to the laboratory for routine analysis. The Sabin-Feldman dye test and the IgM ISAGA were performed within 24 to 48 h from the time when the samples were received. Sera were stored at Ϫ20°C. For the evaluat...

Background: Various groups have been addressing the question of whether perinatal asphyxia (PA) affects the behavior of young animals, but no information is available on long-term effects of PA on the behavior in aged rats, although it has been postulated that PA may lead to neurological and psychiatric deficits in adult life. Objective: We, therefore, decided to study the effects of PA on social and anxiety-related behaviors in 2-year-old rats, using a noninvasive animal model resembling the clinical situation. Methods: For the behavioral studies, the open-field test, the elevated plus-maze test, and a social interaction test in pairs were performed. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain was selected to rule out neuropathological changes due to the aging process per se, as well as asphyxia-induced pathologies in the brain areas known to play an important role in the modulation of behavior. Results: The social interaction test revealed a statistically significant increase in the number of social grooming episodes and the time spent running alone, whereas the numbers of social sniffing and fighting episodes and the time spent running together were decreased in the asphyxiated group. The elevated plus- maze test revealed a higher presence of entries into the closed arm. Furthermore, sniffing and self-grooming episodes were significantly increased in the asphyxiated group. Conclusions: We found a significantly decreased social aggressiveness and an increased social contact behavior as well as increased anxiety levels in the asphyxiated animals. The present findings may provide important information on the long-term behavioral sequelae of PA in the aged individual.

Information on the consequences of perinatal asphyxia (PA) on brain morphology and function in the aging rat is missing although several groups have hypothesized that PA may be responsible for neurological and psychiatric deficits in the adult. We therefore decided to study the effects of PA on the central nervous system (CNS) in terms of morphology, immunohistochemistry, neurology and behavior in the aging animal. Hippocampus and cerebellum were evaluated morphologically by histological, immunohistochemical and magnetic resonance imaging and cerebellum also by stereological tests. Neurological function was tested by an observational test battery and rota rod test. Cognitive functions were examined by multiple-T-maze and the Morris water maze (MWM). Increased serotonin transporter (SERT) immunoreactivity in the CA2 region of the hippocampus and a significant difference in the escape latency, when the platform of the MWM was moved to a new location, were observed in asphyxiated rats. We showed that deteriorated cognitive functions accompanied by aberrant expression of hippocampal SERT and impaired relearning are long-term sequelae of perinatal asphyxia, a finding that may form the basis for understanding CNS pathology in the aging subject, animal or human.

The results of this survey show that there is already a high implementation of therapeutic HT in Austria, but there remains a need for information, awareness and training. Problem areas tend to be in the transport of asphyxiated neonates, brain monitoring during cooling and follow-up of affected patients. We believe, that the establishment of national guidelines and a national register could increase awareness for the importance of therapeutic HT in neonatal HIE, thus improve the Austrian management of those infants.